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India pacer Jasprit Bumrah has received his maiden Test call-up, while Parthiv Patel has been selected as the back-up wicketkeeper for the three-match Test series in South Africa. The MSK Prasad-led selection panel has persisted with the Test regulars for the 17-member squad, which includes seven batsmen, two wicketkeepers, along with the all-round option of Hardik Pandya.

The right-arm pacer comes into the side on the back of some impressive showing in limited-overs cricket for India. He has impressed in the longer format at the domestic level too, having picked 89 wickets in 26 first-class games.

"If you see Bumrah's performance in the last 18 months, it's been wonderful. He's been sensational, bowling outstandingly well in both one-dayers and T20s. Considering his performance in Ranji Trophy last season, he bowled brilliantly that whole season. It's a unanimous choice, there were no doubts in picking Bumrah because he definitely adds variety to our pace attack. And considering the nature of wickets there (in South Africa), it will definitely suit his bowling," chairman of the selection committee, MSK Prasad said at a press conference in New Delhi.

Parthiv, on the other hand, returns to the squad after playing three Tests during England's Test series in India last year. He took over the duties in Wriddhiman Saha's absence during the series and did well with the bat, registering scores of 42, 67*, 15 and 71 in the three Tests.

"When you go to South Africa, you need two wicketkeepers. We cannot take a chance. When we gave him (Parthiv Patel) a chance against England, he performed beyond our expectations. Even if you see his domestic performances, he has been equally good. He is the second best option we have right now. So there's no two way about it." Prasad said.

Hardik Pandya, having been rested for the Sri Lanka Tests, has also returned to the Test side. He was rested for the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka and underwent strength and conditioning training at the NCA in Bangalore.

With pace-friendly conditions expected in South Africa, the selectors have decided to go in with R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja as the spin options, leaving out Kuldeep Yadav. All-rounder Vijay Shankar, who was part of the squad for the second and third Tests against Sri Lanka, has also been excluded.

"The players have selected themselves. Everybody is in very good form. I think this is the best balanced (Indian) side that has ever gone to South Africa. I'm sure they will really do well," Prasad summed up.

India are currently ranked number one in Test rankings, 14 points above second-placed South Africa. They are on a rich run too, having not lost a Test series since the one in Australia 2014-15. However, they have played outside the subcontinent only once during this period, touring the Caribbean and beating Windies 2-0.

This will be Virat Kohli's first big challenge too as Test captain, having led the team predominantly in the sub-continent.

India's tour of South Africa kicks off with a two-day warm-up match on December 30, and will be followed by the three Tests. The first Test, in Cape Town, starts on January 5, with the second and third Tests to be played in Centurion and Johannesburg respectively. The Test series will be followed by six ODIs and three T20Is.

Cricket South Africa, on Monday, announced that the two-day warm-up game India were scheduled to play in South Africa has been cancelled. India will instead conduct training sessions on those days. This would mean that India will head into the three-match Test series, to start on January 5 2018 in Cape Town, without a practice match in South Africa.

"Please be advised that the two-day warm-up match for India at Eurolux Boland Park will no longer be taking place. India have opted for training sessions on those days," the release from CSA said.

No official reason has been given for the cancellation of the warm-up game.

The board also announced changes made to starting times for day-night games (T20Is apart) during its home season, with all games kicking off half an hour earlier. According to the updated schedule the day-night four-day Test against Zimbabwe will start at 13:30 local time, instead of the originally scheduled 14:00 local time.

Similarly, five of the six ODIs against India have been given an half hour earlier start, with the first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth ODIs starting at 13:00 local time, and not 13:30.

The Indian team's recent show has raised hope before they embark on the tough South Africa tour next week. Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly too is optimistic about their chances.

"It won't be easy, that much I can tell you. But yes, we have a good team this time. If the batsmen are able to put up runs on the board, this attack can pick the wickets," he said here on Monday.

Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Ganguly, who came down here to meet the Bengal players who are playing the Ranji semifinal against Delhi, hoped the present bunch of players had the ability to stand up to the challenge in South Africa.

India will straightaway play the first Test as their scheduled practice tie was cancelled at the last moment. But Ganguly felt that should not make a huge difference to the team's fortunes. "Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay have all been to South Africa before. So, they have a good idea about the conditions there. And the best thing is that they are going back to South Africa as better players," Ganguly stated.

India's present attack is now being compared to the world's best in many quarters and Ganguly too is happy with their show. But at the same time he was not ready to jump to conclusions and label it as India's best attack ever to set foot on foreign soil

The South Africa has announced a full strength squad a one-off four day test against Zimbabwe at the end of December, signalling a return to full fitness of the Proteas stalwarts – AB De Villiers, Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander.

South Africa has a busy summer schedule on their hands, as they take on India for three test match series before taking on Australia for four test matches.

South African Test side has been a depleted outfit for the past year with injuries to AB De Villiers, Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel stalling their progress in the format. De Villiers came close to a retirement from the longest format of cricket after he got injured earlier this year. While Dale Steyn had to undergo rehabilitation from his surgeries on shoulder and elbow.

“It is a very exciting moment not just for South Africa but for world cricket to have Dale and AB, two icons of the game, back in the multi-day format,” Linda Zondi, CSA’s convener of selectors said. “AB and Dale bring loads of experience to the side apart from being two of the South African all-time greats. It is also good to have Vernon back and it is very encouraging that our four premium fast bowlers – Steyn, Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel – are all back in the selection mix.”

India is due to tour South Africa in January for three tests, six ODI’s and three T20Is. It will be a greater test for the Indian side as they take on a full-string South African side that might well be past its prime, but one full of experienced individuals.

Big Picture
Trying to get your novel published. Receiving venture capital funding for your business. Getting some sleep after recently becoming a parent. Even getting Steven Smith out. Tough? Try providing context to this series. That too, India have rested some of their stars, with the main focus on the series against South Africa next month, giving the IPL's best performers a chance to earn a regular place in the T20 squad.

But there was still much of the same in Cuttack: India extending their home dominance with their biggest T20 win, and wristspin's rapidly-improving bid to take over the world. Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav combined for figures of 8-0-41-6 to skittle Sri Lanka's batsmen out, again. India's top five, including MS Dhoni at No. 4, struck brisk cameos in dewy conditions.

Sri Lanka's T20 record (5-8) in 2017 hasn't been woeful, but it was hard to tell from their performance in Cuttack. On paper the elements for success are abundantly available to them, but they will have to find a way to cope with challenges rather than spontaneously combust.

In the spotlight
Over the last few years, batting, batsmen and bats have dominated the way cricket has been played. The slower bouncer and the wide yorker briefly tried to break the rhythm. Then came the resurrection of wristspin, especially through its relevance in T20s, pulling the balance back slightly. Kuldeep and Chahal, two practitioners of this skill, have been attacked, but they have found ways to combat it efficiently. Will it continue?

After their 2015 World Cup debacle, England's management and players agreed that they'd wipe the slate clean and try a new approach: all-out attack. It didn't alter their results in the short term, but they're now a powerhouse team in limited-overs cricket. It wouldn't be a bad plan for Sri Lanka to adopt a similar style, and allow their batsmen the freedom to go for it again, even if they are 87 all out again.

Team news
Will India wait to win another home series before giving all the members in the squad a chance? Pacer Basil Thampi and the big-hitting Deepak Hooda are likely to be given a chance either way, in this game or the third T20.

Pitch and conditions
The surface at the Holkar Stadium is usually a batsman's dream. With short boundaries and the possibility of dew, there should be plenty of boundaries again. The forecast says there is no chance of rain.

Stats and trivia

MS Dhoni has scored 244 runs in 11 innings at No. 4 in T20Is, with an average of 61 and a strike rate of 151.55 - his best average and strike-rate in any batting position in T20Is by a significant margin

The Indian team's recent show has raised hope before they embark on the tough South Africa tour next week. Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly too is optimistic about their chances.

"It won't be easy, that much I can tell you. But yes, we have a good team this time. If the batsmen are able to put up runs on the board, this attack can pick the wickets," he said here on Monday.

Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Ganguly, who came down here to meet the Bengal players who are playing the Ranji semifinal against Delhi, hoped the present bunch of players had the ability to stand up to the challenge in South Africa.

India will straightaway play the first Test as their scheduled practice tie was cancelled at the last moment. But Ganguly felt that should not make a huge difference to the team's fortunes. "Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay have all been to South Africa before. So, they have a good idea about the conditions there. And the best thing is that they are going back to South Africa as better players," Ganguly stated.

India's present attack is now being compared to the world's best in many quarters and Ganguly too is happy with their show. But at the same time he was not ready to jump to conclusions and label it as India's best attack ever to set foot on foreign soil

Lmao creating fake hype from nothing.
Indian fast bowlers are useless as ever. More so than worrying about batting I think they should be having sleepless nights about the pacers.
I can't see how they will bowl a team with the likes of Amla, ABD, Elgar and Big De Kock out for less than 400

New Delhi: Virat Kohli’s India head for a gruelling tour of South Africa on Wednesday looking for a record-breaking 10th straight Test series triumph, but they will have to overcome a reputation for being bad travellers.

India, who beat New Zealand, England and Australia in a powerful home season to consolidate their number one Test ranking, celebrated their last major away victory in 2008-2009 when they beat the Kiwis 1-0 in a three-Test series.

“Looking forward to the South Africa tour, it’s going to be a different challenge,” said Rohit Sharma, who captained the Indian limited-overs side in Kohli’s recent absence.

“But I want to reiterate about our home season, it’s never easy to beat anyone. We were challenged at different times and we came back.”

Overseas success against weakened West Indies and Sri Lanka sides in the past two years, and India’s invincibility at home, has led pundits to back Kohli’s side to put up a strong challenge to South Africa, who are second in the Test rankings and have never lost to India at home.

India will play three Tests, six one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches during the two-month tour. The series begins with the first Test in Cape Town on January 5.

“They had a very good 2017. They have to carry on with the good work overseas also, away from Asia. At any given time you cannot sit on your past laurels,” former captain Bishan Singh Bedi told AFP.

“To prove it to yourself, not to the world, that you are worthy of the number one position. It’s not easy to get there but even more difficult to stay there,” the ex-spinner added.

Apart from hosts Australia losing to South Africa 2-1 in 2016-2017, and visiting England beating the Proteas in 2015-2016, the top Test-playing nations have enjoyed hegemony on home turf.

The Indians, once labelled “tigers at home and lambs abroad” in Test cricket, have a chance of breaking new ground in South Africa’s den.

“Most teams are doing well at home and struggling overseas. So this is an opportunity for India to move away from the pack,” veteran sports journalist Ayaz Memon told AFP.

“South Africa lost badly to India when they came here in 2015. India may have won the odd Test but they have never won a series in South Africa and Australia,” he added.

Verbal bouncers

India are pinning their hopes on the pace quartet of Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar to make an impact on fast-paced South African tracks.

The fast bowlers played a significant role during India’s 1-0 win over Sri Lanka as they equalled Australia’s record of nine Test series victories between 2005-2008.

But the 71-year-old Bedi said the Indian team “shouldn’t get carried away” after recent praise of its pacemen.

“Very happy situation that Indians, given an opportunity, now will be able to retaliate with their pace department,” he said.

But “good bowling, whether it’s fast or spin, is getting the opposition out twice”, he warned.

“Not so much of verbal bouncers or any sort of intimidation and even if you do it, first do your job of getting wickets,” said Bedi, who is known for his forthright views.

On the batting front, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane’s form also seems to be of concern for a team whose batting is led by the prolific Kohli.

Rahane, who averaged over 65 in India’s last South Africa tour in 2013-2014 when they lost the two-match series 1-0, has managed just 17 runs in his last five innings.

Coach Ravi Shastri said it was just a matter of time before the top-order batsman gets his act together.

“It’s not that they are shattered mentally. It’s just about spending some time at the crease, get your feet moving the way it should be and you will be on your way,” Shastri told CNN News18 TV Channel.

“I think it will be Indian batting versus the South African batting. Both teams have good bowling attacks. I think our bowlers will do a very good job but it’s how our batsmen stand up,” he said.

India will need mental toughness as much as consistent performances with bat and ball if they are to record their first test series victory in South Africa, captain Virat Kohli said on Wednesday.

Kohli, who was rested during India’s Twenty20 series win against Sri Lanka earlier this month, urged his team to embrace the testing conditions they will experience on tour, which are traditionally more suited to the fast bowlers.

“You need to play cricket for long period of time to win abroad,” Kohli told a news conference.

”The hunger this time is the same. We want to do what we couldn’t the last time around.

“Cricket is played with bat and ball and if you are there mentally, every condition seems like a home condition. You have to embrace the local culture to be able to do well there. The excitement is very important to be able to do well.”

India have retained their number one spot in the test rankings on the back of a formidable home record, but Kohli reckons his team have the opportunity to improve further during trips to South Africa, England, Australia and New Zealand over the next 18 months.

“You need to take up the challenges while travelling to places like South Africa, England and Australia because you go there once and then you won’t travel there for a long time because of the way scheduling is done,” the 29-year-old added.

“The conditions would be testing but this one and a half year will define this Indian team and the whole team is aware of this.”

India have played 17 tests against the Proteas in South Africa, winning two and losing on eight occasions. Seven tests ended in draws.

India will play three tests beginning on Jan. 5 in Newlands, Cape Town. They also face South Africa in six one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches.

The reality check the four-day Test gave Zimbabwe has already been analysed and the converse must be asked. Did South Africa really benefit from dominating an inferior opposition a week before the biggest series they have played in six months?

Logic would say no, because South Africa's previous assignment was a walkover against Bangladesh more than two months ago, before which they lost in England and had their batting woefully exposed. Their upcoming matches are three Tests against India, and four against Australia. But being underprepared is not a status South Africa want to accept, especially with India little more than a week away.

"Our preparation was to make sure we get through this Test match, [with a] bit of workload and get guys into form. I'm happy with [the] workload. All our batsmen had time in the middle and all the bowlers had a chance to shine," AB de Villiers, South Africa's stand-in captain said.

De Villiers himself was the biggest beneficiary of this match, as it marked his comeback to the side after an absence of 23 months. And what a comeback it was. Not only did he slot in at No.4, but he was asked to stand in as captain because Faf du Plessis had not recovered from an illness. Then, he was called upon to keep wicket when Quinton de Kock strained his hamstring. De Villiers admitted he "got a bit of a fright," when he was approached to lead but was happy to take on all three jobs.

"It was very enjoyable in the end. It all happened at the same time. I love taking responsibility for the team and it went very well," he said.

However, there is no real clarity on how de Villiers will fit into the starting XI if everyone is fit and available. The man himself does not even know. "Faf will take over and then there is a bit of a selection headache. All the guys seem to be in good form," he said. "I am expecting to bat No.4 if I do play. If not, then I will carry drinks."

What de Villiers would like not to do is don the gloves again and, all things being equal, he should not have to. De Kock's injury was described as "low-grade," and team management are "confident," he will recover for the first Test against India. If de Kock is not fit, South Africa will have to turn to the domestic structures to seek a reserve wicketkeeper, and would likely choose between Heinrich Klaasen and Rudi Second. Or they may ask de Villiers to step in as emergency cover.

And if they do, what will he say?

"Ideally I would not like to keep and just focus on my batting. Keeping tends to get to me after a while. So it's a no, but its up for discussion."

Not true at all. The last time Pakistan toured SA, they were given a road in one of the tests where Shafiq and YK scored hundreds, and yet you ended up getting whitewashed in that series. Bowling out a quality side like SA on a flat pitch takes a lot of skill.

Shami, Umesh, Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah/Pandya/Ishant is not a bad attack for a green pitch.

Not true at all. The last time Pakistan toured SA, they were given a road in one of the tests where Shafiq and YK scored hundreds, and yet you ended up getting whitewashed in that series. Bowling out a quality side like SA on a flat pitch takes a lot of skill.

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1. To be fair most fast bowlers with even a hint of talent will look good on a green pitch. I'm sure SA bowling of Morkel, Steyn, Philander and Rabada look on a different level compared to guys you mentioned

2. I said it will get interesting if they make a road... Not that the team will win. Also I said it knowing that its India that will be batting. As long as there is no big swing etc. the batsmen have a high chance of getting runs

1. To be fair most fast bowlers with even a hint of talent will look good on a green pitch. I'm sure SA bowling of Morkel, Steyn, Philander and Rabada look on a different level compared to guys you mentioned

2. I said it will get interesting if they make a road... Not that the team will win. Also I said it knowing that its India that will be batting. As long as there is no big swing etc. the batsmen have a high chance of getting runs

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Good bowlers get wickets on roads.

Even if it doesn't swing,These bowlers are more than good enough.

Rabada,Morkel and Philander will be a handful,Philander is under appreciated and gets it to swing everywhere and he can bat,Morkel with his bounce will trouble anyone and Rabada is very Fast and accurate.

And even then there still is Morris,Steyn,Olivier and Phekluwayo(Green track)

I expect the first test pitch to be reasonably good to bat on. Newlands has been that way for as long as I can remember. Jadeja will be a handful there with the ball. Centurion and Joburg might be pace friendly.

I expect the first test pitch to be reasonably good to bat on. Newlands has been that way for as long as I can remember. Jadeja will be a handful there with the ball. Centurion and Joburg might be pace friendly.

Okay, it drizzled, but for the people of the Western Cape, the province of South Africa enduring its worst drought in more than a hundred years, the drops were welcomed like small mercies. Things in this part of the country are bad. Showers are timed at no more than two minutes, toilet flushing has been reduced to only if absolutely necessary, and people have been asked not to use more than 87 litres of water each per day.

It's in these circumstances that India's tour of South Africa begins, in these conditions that South Africa hope to be able to present India with a pitch with pace, bounce and seam movement. And the only way that can happen is with the sprinkling of water.

Luckily, Newlands has borehole-water supply but groundsman Evan Flint told ESPNcricinfo it has still been a tricky preparatory period. "With the pitch, we've been able to carry on watering it as usual every day with borehole water. But the outfield, we've only watered it twice a week so it's a little bit drier and maybe not as lush as we would like it. The challenge is that we need to leave live grass on the wicket, thin grass, so that there is pace, but we want to make sure the ball doesn't grip and turn. Ideally, what we need is a little bit of rain in the morning and then sun in the afternoon and I don't know how many days we will get that for."

December 31 was a rare day on which exactly that happened, but Flint hasn't seen much of that over the last few months. The usual Cape winter rains were thin and the unseasonal spring and summer showers have been few and far between. Still, he has been hard at work since the off season started in April.

Flint usually spends months "keeping an eye" on his Test pitch - it is generally the same one and it generally does the same things. There's some life in it upfront, it flattens out over the next two days and then starts to deteriorate. In recent years, the wearing down of the pitch has not happened as much as expected, something Flint recognised. "That has sometimes been a criticism of my pitches - that they don't deteriorate," he said.

The 2011 New Year's Test , which India played in, is a case in point. After India made some early inroads, both sides scored first innings totals of over 350, South Africa's second innings was just under 350 and India were set 340 to win. They would likely have got there if time hadn't run out. It's tough to say the same about South Africa's chances of taking wickets. The drawn match at Newlands gave India their best result in a series in South Africa: also a draw.

in 2015. Rank turners in Mohali and Nagpur meant two of the four matches end inside three days, in India's favour. The Nagpur pitch was subsequently rated poor by the ICC but the fact remained, India had ended South Africa's nine-year unbeaten run on the road. It doesn't need any further explanation to conclude that South Africa will want to get some of their own back.

"Everybody is pretty clear on what they want. We've tweaked a few things in terms of trying to get fresh green grass and we're also working on getting the wicket hard, so we're rolling it, but we have to keep the grass alive at the same time," Flint said. "It will help the bowlers out in the beginning but it's not going to be the Wanderers or Centurion."

South Africa may have to wait until the second and third Tests upcountry to really unleash their full hostility on India. Until then, they can only know that Newlands has done everything it can to support the cause, and, like everyone else in the province, they can pray for morning rain.

By the end of it, MS Dhoni had almost given up on them. He was helpless with India's fast bowlers. When on tours, where fast bowling decided matches, he would watch his batsmen having to take risks to score off the home quicks but then his own bowlers would keep letting the opposition batsmen score pressure-free runs. A complete seam-bowling performance such as Durban 2010-11 was a rare bonus.

Apart from the aberration at Lord's in 2014, when Dhoni practically took over and dictated to Ishant Sharma what to bowl, the recurring theme in Dhoni's two wins and 13 defeats as captain in Australia, England and South Africa was his watching on helplessly as the seamers failed to string together good overs and keep it going through long days of Test cricket. If they did manage to do so as a combination, one or the other would get injured soon enough. When Zaheer Khan finally did last a series, in Australia in 2011-12, he did so as a pale shadow of himself.

On India's next tour there, when Virat Kohli took over as captain, on flat Australian tracks with no help for spinners, India's bowling was a shambles. Mohammed Shami had a great seam position but he bowled a loose ball almost every over as his series economy rate of 4.24 will tell you. Bhuvneshwar Kumar wasn't so much loose as he was knackered and lacking in intensity and pace. Ishant had become disciplined but he was almost happy being the stock bowler whose aim, it seemed, was to only go at around three an over. Umesh Yadav had pace but little else; he went at 4.62 an over in that series.

In the next year, India will travel to countries with the fastest scoring grounds in the world since 2000: in increasing order of strike-rates, South Africa, England and Australia. Historically, South Africa has had the second-fastest scoring grounds, behind only Bangladesh, a young Test venue.

Why then are India so hopeful going to South Africa this time around with basically the same set of bowlers? The answer might possibly lie in a Kohli press conference when he had just taken over. He said he wanted India's bowlers to learn from Josh Hazlewood's relentlessness. The fast bowler had made his debut in that series and had already shown signs of why he would earn comparisons with Glenn McGrath. The obvious question for Kohli then was what India's quicks lacked. Surely they didn't bowl bad balls on purpose? Surely they didn't think they could pitch on leg and hit top of off once every over?

Kohli was pointedly asked if India's bowlers lacked fitness, the strength to stay accurate and still not float half-volleys when bowling the fourth over of a spell or towards the end of a long day. Kohli spoke of composure, of character, of "wanting to bowl that second or third spell for the team". But it's funny, when you get down to building it, how much of your character depends on your physical fitness and strength. Kohli soon seemed to have identified fitness as the missing link in India's bowling department. Although his first home series as captain didn't require much fitness with extreme turners on offer, it soon seemed a fitness marker had been laid. And these were fairly young bowlers with the best trainers and training facilities available to them; there was no reason to not be up to industry standards.

India have tended to play their Test cricket in cycles in recent times: consecutive home series followed by a tour of the world. In the last home cycle in 2012-13, India's fast bowlers were almost non-existent. There was no clear plan, no foresight to build an attack for the next cycle of travel. No fast bowler played more than half of India's matches, nobody went abroad knowing what his role was going to be. The most overs a fast bowler bowled in that cycle was Ishant's 169, which was a fourth of the overs the leading spinner, R Ashwin bowled in the same period.

This home cycle - West Indies and Sri Lanka included because conditions there are somewhat similar - has been longer but the fast bowlers have been made to feel a bigger part of the side. At times they were asked to come back even though the spinners were doing the job just fine. Umesh has bowled 617 overs, close to 45% of Ashwin's 1449. Ishant and Shami are not too far behind. Every time there has been a pitch with seam on offer, Bhuvneshwar has been called up.

Ravindra Jadeja. They knew if they didn't succeed, Ashwin and Jadeja were there to clean up after them. To carry the expectation of doing everything, the knowledge that Ashwin and Jadeja can't rescue them, is a whole new pressure.

They have rarely been faced with a situation, for example, where they have spent a considerable amount of fuel even before getting to an explosive yet accomplished No. 7 such as Quinton de Kock. Just on their last series of away tours, they failed to finish off the Johannesburg and Wellington Tests, let England's last wicket add 198 at Trent Bridge, and watched Australia's last four double the score in Brisbane. The bowlers need to show this time that they are differently equipped to handle those situations.

One of the reasons India's quicks get easily picked away for runs to the leg side is the line they are used to bowling at home, which is to attack the stumps. This is evident, for example, from 45.5% of their wickets in this home stretch being lbw and bowled. A whopping 16 out of Bhuvneshwar's 24 wickets have come by targeting the stumps. On slower pitches with reverse-swing often your ally, you can get away by bowling too straight. In fact, that's what these pitches demand. Over the last 10 years in South Africa, only 28% of pace bowlers' victims have been lbw or bowled. On truer pitches with reverse less often available, the attack has to move outside off, to attack the outside edge. Accordingly, the length will have to get fuller: the stock length on pitches with lower bounce is shorter.

Umesh's straight lines were exposed during the recent Ranji Trophy semi-final when he was expected to lead the attack on a seaming pitch in Kolkata.

On the last morning, with their opponents Karnataka reduced to 111 for 7, Umesh bowled seven overs for 33 runs and no wicket as the tail took them to within five runs of the target. They might have Hardik Pandya for support in South Africa, but between the three selected fast bowlers they can't afford one of them bowling such spells despite helpful conditions.

It will still likely be a toss-up between Bhuvneshwar and Umesh for the first Test with Shami and Ishant almost certain starters. The more helpful the conditions, the likelier it is that Bhuvneshwar will be asked to exploit them. This pace attack is definitely one of the better ones India are travelling with - if only for their pace and sturdiness - but the pressure they will face and the skill they will require in South Africa is different. They will need to adjust quickly.

CAPE TOWN: Dale Steyn has been close to the milestone for more than a year now but, at the age of 34, time is running out for the speed merchant to become South Africa’s most prolific wicket taker. Steyn’s 417 Test-wicket haul is just four shy of the South African record held by Shaun Pollock but the target remains both tantalisingly close and frustratingly elusive at the same time. Standing between him and the tag of the country’s best ever bowler have been a serious shoulder injury and a lengthy spell on the sidelines. After his latest piece of rotten luck, some doubt that Steyn will get his long-awaited opportunity when South Africa take on India in a three-test series starting at Newlands on Friday.

It has been 14 months since Steyn’s last Test and the rustiness of the lay-off, plus the absence of a decent examination of his shoulder in match conditions, could see him left out, local media suggested. “There is significant, ill-advised risk associated with any fast-track return,” wrote local cricket columnist Rob Houwing this week (www.sport24.co.za) after the pace bowler missed out on the Boxing Day test against Zimbabwe. Steyn’s shoulder travails began against England in Durban in December 2015 but it was just under a year later in Perth in November 2016 that extensive damage was done as he broke the right shoulder and tore three major muscles on the second day of the first test against Australia.

He went home to Cape Town for surgery, followed by lengthy rehabilitation and abortive comebacks before he was gently eased back into Twenty20 action in November and then 12 wicketless overs in whites just before Christmas. Steyn was due to return in the one-off test against Zimbabwe in Port Elizabeth last week but on the opening morning of the day-night match was unluckily ruled out by a bout of influenza. In his absence, South Africa’s four-man seam attack easily bowled out Zimbabwe twice and, although India are an altogether different proposition, there is a temptation for the selectors to stick with them. Steyn, whose Test average is a staggering 22.3, can, however, point to a prolific record at Newlands with 65 wickets in 13 Tests at an average of 21.93 — 12 against India. He – and legions of supporters enthralled by his passionate approach to the game – wait to see whether he will get to bowl this time.

It all depends on how you do on Day 1 in South Africa, says Sachin Tendulkar

Batting great Sachin Tendulkar said that India’s success or failure will hinge on how they tackle the new ball in South Africa. In an interview with Cricbuzz, Tendulkar said that India will need to have a good Day 1 as that can then help them pace the innings. “It all depends on how you do on Day One,” he said, “The first spell is going to be very critical. A lot depends on how we tackle the new ball. If we handle the new ball well then we can actually set the pace for the innings. Getting runs on the board is the key.”

This will be the first time since the end of Apartheid that India tour South Africa without Tendulkar in the squad. Tendulkar said that it didn’t take for the team led by Mohammad Azharuddin to understand the challenge they were facing in 1992. “When we went to South Africa for the first time, it didn’t take us long to realise what was coming our way. From the first game itself we realised the level of cricket they were playing. For instance, the warm-up game that we played against the Board’s President’s XI back then. It was a huge eye-opener for us. Even their second and third teams showed such immense potential. At each level, they were busy raising the bar. They’ve always been a competitive side in multiple ways,” he said.

Tendulkar also said that South Africa, while being a team to beat even in the present era, lack a few factors that they possessed whenever he faced them. “The thing with South Africa is they always enjoyed an amazing balance,” he said, “The all-rounders lent an air of authority. And by all-rounders, I just don’t mean guys who could bat and bowl. To me, Jonty Rhodes is the most amazing guy I’ve ever seen on a cricket field when it came to fielding. I’ve seen many good fielders over the years. Ponting, Gibbs, they were all exceptional. But Jonty was something different. Likewise, when I speak of all-rounders, look at the transition that happened from Brian McMillan to Jacques Kallis.”

The series against South Africa is deemed as the first real test that Kohli faces since taking over as captain of the Indian team in all three formats of the game from MS Dhoni in January 2016. Kohli led a dominant Indian team in 2016 as they trumped Australia, New Zealand, England and Sri Lanka at home. They also recorded a first ever 10-0 clean sweep of Sri Lanka across formats away from home and beat West Indies in an ODI series away from home. They also reached the final of the ICC Champions Trophy in England where they lost to Pakistan in the summit clash. But 2018 will be a crucial year for this Indian team as they are set to embark on tours of England and Australia after the

'Outstanding' Bhuvneshwar can be great asset on South Africa wickets: Srinath

When the Indian cricket team, led by Mohammad Azharuddin, made its maiden voyage to South Africa a little over 25 years ago, they created history. Not by winning, but simply by being there. They were the first team to visit post-apartheid South Africa.

India has never won a series in South Africa since and, when Virat Kohli and his men begin their tour with the first of three Test matches on Friday (January 5), they will seek a date with history again, but this time on an equal footing. They will be aiming to become the first Indian side to win a Test series in the southern African country, hoping for victory after six failed attempts.

There is reason for optimism this time around, not just because the Indians are in the midst of a phenomenal winning run, but also because experts reckon Virat Kohli has the bowlers to take the fight to South Africa. Former pace ace Javagal Srinath, who was part of the Indian squad during the historic tour under Azharuddin, is one of them. The 'Mysore Express' believes India's bowling attack has plenty in its armoury. The key man, he says, will be right-arm pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

"This is the best fast bowling combination in India at the moment," said Srinath, who collected 43 wickets in the eight Test matches he played in South Africa. "I go by what I've seen in the last one-and-a-half years. I strongly feel Bhuvneshwar will be the strike bowler - or at least he should be treated like one. He should be used economically and in short spells. Over the past few months, he has been outstanding.

"He has added a couple of yards of pace to his deliveries and has been moving the ball with greater control."

Likening Bhuvneshwar to Terry Alderman, the former Australian pacer who swung the ball and was accurate, Srinath said, "Bhuvneshwar swings the ball both ways and at alarming pace. With the kind of pace he gets, he can be a great asset for the team on South African wickets which usually have bounce and carry."

Srinath insisted that conserving and supporting Bhuvneshwar was crucial. "The team management has to take care of him and ensure he lasts the series," the former fast bowler said. "He should not be used as second fiddle, where he is made to bowl donkey overs and is tired by the second or the third Test. He should be well-supported by the others."

HANDLING PRESSURE

Srinath, now an ICC match referee, believes Kohli's squad is different from teams of the past in another respect. He does not subscribe to the theory that the current crop of players easily succumbs to pressure.

"When it comes to handling pressure, I think, the IPL has fast-tracked players," the 48-year-old said. "In the IPL, they always play under pressure and players tend to learn more when under pressure. In that sense, I think they are all experts in handling pressure."

ADAPTING TO THE RED KOOKABURRA BALL AND CONDITIONS

Players, including Bhuvneshwar, have spoken about adapting to the red Kookaburra ball and Srinath feels the sooner the bowlers adapt, the better it would be for them. "The bowlers are champions with the white Kookaburra ball, but the red ball is very different," he said. "They have to get used to it as soon as possible. Winning these Test matches will depend a lot on how quickly they get used to the ball and how well they read local conditions. There has to be a minor adjustment in the way they pitch the ball." Srinath stressed that bowlers would have to toil hard across venues and surfaces.

"The advent of T20 has changed wickets worldwide, so I don't think we will get wickets like we used to 15 years ago. Most wickets are batting friendly these days. This means more work for the bowlers. If you are able to get 20 wickets in a Test match, it means the workload on the bowlers has increased 100%. That's why you cannot afford to make too many mistakes with line and length."

MANAGING WORKLOAD

Srinath, who overcame a career-threatening rotator-cuff injury in 1997, suggests that while managing the workload is important, bowlers will have to play more. "The more you play, the better you become," he said. "That can also be construed as, the more you play, the more likelihood of injury. That's a very negative line of thinking. As a bowler, the more you bowl, the better you become. Of course the body needs a break, that's when they rotate the workload. We have a good group of fast bowlers who can be rotated effectively."

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

Refusing to generalise South African conditions, Srinath pointed out, "Adaptability is key. I think each wicket is different and we cannot generalise conditions. What matters will be the tactical adaptability to a particular pitch and during various sessions during a day.

"When it comes to cricket acumen, there is no deficit in these boys, but it has to translate into performance in Test matches because we don't play many overseas Tests these days. I'm sure they have the capacity and the capability to deliver in these matches. The only thing they have to make sure is that any bowler should not be bowling too many overs. They should be effective enough to get the opposition out in 100-120 overs in an innings. If that happens and the Indian batting clicks, I don't see a reason why we cannot dominate."

A virus prevented Steyn from proving his match fitness in last week's two-day rout of Zimbabwe. It would have been his first Test appearance since November 2016

South African coach Ottis Gibson admitted on Tuesday that fitting Dale Steyn into the team for the first Test against India in Cape Town was a selection headache.

"He's had a year off," said Gibson about the long-time number one bowler in the world, who is recovering from a serious shoulder injury.

A virus prevented Steyn from proving his match fitness in last week's two-day rout of Zimbabwe. It would have been his first Test appearance since November 2016.

"He might well play this weekend, depending on the make-up of the team," said Gibson ahead of the start of the three-match series on Friday.

But with Steyn having broken down in three of the last five Tests he has played since late 2015, Gibson said he had to be cautious.

"I wouldn't think that if you were to pick a three-man seam attack plus a spinner that you would want to put him into that three-man attack in case something happened. It would leave you too vulnerable in case he doesn't finish a game."

Gibson said, though, that there was a possibility, depending on conditions, that South Africa might opt for an extra bowler, which would bring Steyn into the picture.

He added that he liked the look of the Newlands pitch, although he warned that it might change by Friday. "It's got a nice covering of grass and it looks quite hard and firm. That's how we like it."

After guiding South Africa to lop-sided victories against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in his first three Tests in charge, Gibson said he was looking forward to a tough series against the team ranked number one in the world.

"We're playing the best team in the world and you obviously have to have your A game," he said.

Gibson said Faf du Plessis, who missed the Zimbabwe match because of illness, would definitely be back to lead the team, while Quinton de Kock has recovered from a hamstring strain which prevented him from keeping wicket against Zimbabwe.

Indian top-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, meanwhile, continued the message of confidence that has been a hallmark of the Indian party since they arrived in South Africa.

"Our preparation has been fantastic so far," said Pujara. "We are very confident."

Pujara said the Indians had been getting ready for the tour since their three home Tests against Sri Lanka in November and December, with pitches prepared to be as much like those in South Africa as possible.

"When we were playing Sri Lanka we had this series in mind. Obviously it was different from what we might get here but we tried replicating what we could. Even in our net practices we had in mind that we would be touring South Africa and we were trying to practise accordingly," said Pujara.

Pujara is on his third tour of South Africa. "Most of our players have been here before," he said. "We are not bothered about the kind of pitch that is prepared. Bounce is always a challenge but we know what to expect from the pitch and the opposition. When you have spent some time on these pitches you know what to do."

Vernon Philander is a man of few words, but in those few words he did throw down the gauntlet for India two days before the series' first Test. Asked about the general reputation this India team seems to carry - of being better travellers than the earlier teams - Philander said he wasn't impressed just yet.

"They have played most of their games at home, so it'll be interesting to see how they go in South Africa," Philander said. "It's a total different ball game. We're going to have to wait and see once they pass the first Test match."

The pitch, because of the large-scale drought in Cape Town, remains a mystery, but there is a decent amount of grass on it. South Africa coach Ottis Gibson said this was exactly what they wanted, but Philander didn't feel it was a pitch to be scared of. "No, I wouldn't say it's greener [than other Newlands pitches]," Philander said. "I have played all my life here. I've seen a lot of similar wickets and they haven't done much. Obviously there's a little bit of grass there, but I don't think it's going to scare anyone."

There are also a few vertical cracks on the pitch, which reminded a reporter of the 2011-12 Test here, when Australia were bowled out for 47. Philander said that was all about the overheads. "I think that wicket was a little bit different to what this was," Philander said. "That one looked a lot flatter than this one. But sometimes you get to Newlands, and it depends on the type of wind that blows here as well. You might get days there is grass, but it's absolutely flat. You get some days, the north-western blows, and the ball goes around when there's not much grass on there."

All these vagaries of playing at Newlands leave both teams' openers an important job to do. India's fourth-most prolific opener in Test cricket, M Vijay, has a big job to do if India are to succeed in South Africa. Vijay spoke before Philander did, and he pointed to the green pitch as an exciting opportunity. "It is quite green," Vijay said of the surface. "I don't know how it is going to behave on day one. Hopefully it should be a good Test match to be part of. We are looking forward to it, and that is more important. Everybody in our dressing room is looking forward to the first day of play."

Vijay was pointed to Graeme Smith's assertion that South Africa is the most difficult place to open an innings in. Statistically, in all Test cricket, openers have had a worse average only in New Zealand. "I have been here a couple of times," Vijay said. "Once I got to play the Test match, it was pretty challenging for the opening batsmen. As you know the bounce and seam movement in these conditions is something really exciting for openers to go out there and perform against. I agree with him [Smith], it is difficult but at the same time you learn a lot of things. If you have some x-factor in your game, you can use it when you get into a situation like that next time."

But, hey, at least Smith didn't have to face Philander, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, which is why Vijay joked his "learning" is greater than Smith's.

Vijay is considered one of the best leavers of the ball, which is what helps him at his job, but he said an opener couldn't afford to go out with a fixed mindset. "You cannot have a set pattern," he said. "You cannot go into a Test match thinking you are going to leave so many balls. You also have to be in a frame of mind where you also have to score runs. If they bowl in good areas, then you have to try to counter and come out stronger. These are the things, I think, which will be critical for us to move forward."

CAPE TOWN: India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is a doubt for the first Test against South Africa due to a viral illness, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Wednesday.

The left-arm spinner has been suffering from the illness for the last two days and a decision on his inclusion for the opening test in Cape Town will be made before the first day of play starts on Friday.

“The BCCI Medical Team in consultation with the local medical team has decided that Mr. Jadeja will be taken to a hospital for treatment and expects him to fully recover in the next 48 hrs,” the national governing body said in a statement. “A decision on his availability … will be taken on the morning of the match i.e. Jan. 5, 2018.” Meanwhile, batsman Shikhar Dhawan has been declared fit after recovering from a minor ankle injury.

Virat Kohli’s side are atop the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) test rankings after winning nine successive series but their record on tour in South Africa is dismal. India have won just two of the 17 Tests played there since 1992, losing five of the six series, with the 1-1 draw in 2010-11 their best return.

The two teams will play three Tests, six One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20 matches through to the end of February.

SA 286 all out. Decent effort by the Indian bowlers though I reckon that will be neutralised by some stupid selections from Shastri the genius.

Dhawan as usual will be a walking wicket. God knows when Kohli will look beyond his personal friendships. KL Rahul is clearly a class apart but finds himself warming the bench.

Also Rahane has been our best batsman overseas for quite some time. And we have Rohit the hack in place of him here :fp

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Rahul I agree was perhaps a better option than Dhawan considering he made 79 in the last Test he played and his stats are superior than his right now, where as Dhawan also fared well against SL at home recently.

Rahane, dropped for Rohit is perhaps understandable due to the fact Rahane having a poor SL series where he couldn't even buy a run. I don't know his overseas stats but if you are saying he has been your best overseas then that could be a different case altogether. Here it seems because of a lean series they have opted for Rohit Sharma instead of Ajinkya Rahane

Rahul I agree was perhaps a better option than Dhawan considering he made 79 in the last Test he played and his stats are superior than his right now, where as Dhawan also fared well against SL at home recently.

Rahane, dropped for Rohit is perhaps understandable due to the fact Rahane having a poor SL series where he couldn't even buy a run. I don't know his overseas stats but if you are saying he has been your best overseas then that could be a different case altogether. Here it seems because of a lean series they have opted for Rohit Sharma instead of Ajinkya Rahane

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If you have ever seen Rohit Sharma batting in a test match, you will never want him to be a part of any test team. The guy is a proper hack. A genius in ODIs but he cannot buy a run to save his life in tests.

Regarding Dhawan, bashing SL trundlers is one thing, but facing this ATG bowling attack in their own den is a different ball game altogether.

If you have ever seen Rohit Sharma batting in a test match, you will never want him to be a part of any test team. The guy is a proper hack. A genius in ODIs but he cannot buy a run to save his life in tests.

Regarding Dhawan, bashing SL trundlers is one thing, but facing this ATG bowling attack in their own den is a different ball game altogether.

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I have seen Rohit in Tests but surely he isn't that bad as you say?

As for Dhawan, I was not supporting his inclusion as I said Rahul was a better option than him in this case as he has looked a part of the format and has done well in the matches he has played so far.

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